US commission study reveals Pakistan’s school curriculum is anti-minorities

Pakistan was created as a fatherland for Muslims of subcontinent with a vision of a moderate state where minorities would have access to full rights as well.

Minorities including Hindus, Christians, Buddhists and Sikhs although are enjoying the freedom they were promised in beloved country of ours but have we actually accepted them mentally?

Answer is NO.

But it is none of our fault.

Since independence, Pakistan has fought three wars with India and so the hatred has heightened with time and Christians are perceived as our enemies because of the sole reason that they are “Non Muslims”

According to a recent study by US Government commission, our school curriculum promotes discrimination and intolerance of religious minorities especially Hindus.

This in a way has also led to extremism and hence terrorism as according to report, militancy is looked as something “Islamic”. Leonard Leo, the chairman of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom shedding light on this said

”Teaching discrimination increases the likelihood that violent religious extremism in Pakistan will continue to grow, weakening religious freedom, national and regional stability, and global security,”

This research was initiated in February earlier this year. Researchers visited 37 public schools, interviewing 277 students and teachers, and 19 madrasas, where they interviewed 226 students and teachers and the shocking findings were just released recently.

This so called anti-minorities curriculum was the brainchild of General Zia ul Haq who used Islamization to strengthen his throne. Five years ago, our government announced that modifications will be done to the curriculum but it is still the same.

Fragment of report reads

”Hindus are repeatedly described as extremists and eternal enemies of Islam whose culture and society is based on injustice and cruelty, while Islam delivers a message of peace and brotherhood, concepts portrayed as alien to the Hindu.”

The books did not contain references to the Christians and other minorities however where they were quoted, it was in a negative way.

Our government definitely needs to take some measures and modify the curriculum so our next generation is groomed to hate minorities because they are Pakistanis too and should be equally loved and respected.